The present invention concerns an elevator with a car operating panel to register elevator calls, push buttons for an elevator car operating panel and a method to change, respectively modernize, a touch screen elevator car operating panel.
In the new generations of inexpensive elevators for small buildings, there was introduced the concept of a car operating panel with a keypad exhibiting ten digits (0 to 9). This decade-keypad system has reached the target of a unique factory produced car operating panel for all elevators, with evident cost and logistic advantages.
As an added feature, due to the presence of a decade-keypad and several displays, the car panel could also be used as a maintenance tool.
These car operating panels are often based on the touch screen principle. Behind a flat touch screen of steel, aluminum or glass, sensors are located, which generate an electromagnetic field. When this field is disturbed by the touch of a finger, this touch is detected and an elevator call is placed through the electronics of a printed circuit board.
The advantage of this technology is that no displaceable part is necessary to place an elevator call and a closed front screen can be used as an interface with the passenger, which exhibits no opening, through which liquids or dirt could penetrate. These screens are furthermore easy to clean and safe in respect of vandalism.
A disadvantage of these car operating panels consisting in a touch screen is, however, that they do not conform to the standards concerning handicapped people, in particular those prescribed for elevator installations.
If a handicapped or blind person touches the elevator touch screen, an elevator call is placed without the will of that person and without the perception of that person that an elevator call has been actually placed.
According to the standards EN 81-70 and ISO/DIS 4190-5 (draft), these requirements must be fulfilled for the elevator push buttons of a car operating panel: an operating force between 2.5 and 5 N, an operating and registration feedback and floor numbers in relief with a minimal height of 0.8 mm.
In the field of elevators it is in particular often required to update or modernize elevator car operating panels, so that they conform to standards concerning handicapped people, when, for example, the use of a building is changed and some parts of the building become open to public access. Normally this problem is solved by demounting the touch screen car operating panel and mounting another mechanical car operating panel based on the principle of the conventional push buttons. Several cables and printed circuits must be de-installed and newly connected during these time-consuming operations.
It is desirable therefore to develop a method and an apparatus to modernize a touch screen car operating panel, which can make it conform to the standards concerning handicapped people and which is practical, inexpensive and fast.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a car operating panel for an elevator installation which conforms to the standards concerning handicapped people, and to provide an apparatus and a method to modernize a touch screen car operating panel, in order to make it conform to the standards concerning handicapped people, which is easy, fast and inexpensive.